Mathematics SM0013

Topic 5: Sequences and Series Tutorial

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TUTORIAL: SEQUENCES AND SERIES

1. Write the sum of each series using sigma notation:
(a) 1 3 5 7 ... 15
(b) 7 3 83 93 ... 253
5 7
11
31
1
2
3
4
n
(c) 1 ...
(d)

... 2
1
4
9
16
7 8
10
20
n
2. Find the sum of the following series:
4

(a)

k 1

(b)

k 1

1 1
8

(c)

k 1

i 1

3. Determine the common difference, the fifth term, the nth term and the 100th term
of each of the arithmetic sequences.
(a) 2,5,8,11,...
(b) 2,2 s,2 2s,2 3s,...
4. (a) The 10th term of an arithmetic sequence is

55
7
and the second term is . Find the first
2
2

term of the sequence.

(b) Which term of the arithmetic sequence 1,4,7, is 88?
(c) If 4,x,y,z, 10 are in an arithmetic sequence, find the values of x ,y and z
5. In each case, the partial sum of an arithmetic series is given. Find the sum:
(a) 1 5 9 ... 401

10

(b)

3 0.25k
k 0

20

(c)

1 2n
n 0

6. (a) Find the sum of the even numbers between 199 and 1999
n
(b) The sum of the first n terms of an arithmetic series is (4n 20) .
2
(i) Write down the expression for the sum of the first (n 1) terms.
(ii) Find the first term and the common difference of the above series.
7. Find the sum, to the number of terms given of the following GPs:
1 1
(a) 3 6 12 ... , 6 terms
(b) 1+ ..., 20 terms
2 4
8. (a) Find the common ratio, given that it is negative, of a GP whose first term is 8 and
1
whose fifth term is .
2
5 25
... and find the least value of n for
(b) Find the sum of the first n terms of the GP 1
4 16
which the sum exceeds 20.
(c) Find the sum of the first ten terms of the geometric sequence 4,8,16,32,...

Mathematics SM0013
Topic 5: Sequences and Series Tutorial
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9. Find the sum of

9 + 27 + 81 ++ 729

10. Find the geometric mean of each of the following pairs of numbers:
(a) -9,-1
(b) 3,12
11. The sum of the first four terms of a geometric series with common ratio

1
is 30.
2

Determine the tenth term and the sum to infinity S .

12. Represent each recurring decimal as the ratio of two integers, in reduced form.
(a) 0. 3
(b) 0.2 14

1 x
13. Given the infinite series

r 0 x
(a) Show that the series is a geometric series
(b) Determine the values of x ( x 0) so that the sum to infinity S exists.
(c) If x 2 , find the sum of the first five terms, S 5 , and S . Show that
S 5 : S 33 : 32 .

14. Show that

r

(a)

(a
i 1

i 1

ai ) a r 1 a1

(b) ai 1 ai 2i3i 3i 1 if ai i3i . Hence, using (a) evaluate

2i3

in terms of r

i 1

15. An engineering company offers a position to Azmi with the starting salary of RM20000 per
year, annual increment of 10% yearly. Find an expression for his salary for the second and
third years. Show that his total salary from the first year to the n th year is
RM 200000[(1.1) n 1] . Find the number of years that he has worked if his total salary is
RM635450.
16. A mortgage is taken out for RM 10 000 and is repaid by annual installments of RM 2000.
Interest is charged on the outstanding debt at 10%, calculated annually. If the first repayment
is made one year after the mortgage is taken out, find the number of years it takes for the
mortgage to be repaid.
17. A bank loan of RM 500 is arranged to be repaid in two years by equal monthly installments .
Interest (calculated monthly) is charged at 11% p.a. on the remaining debt. Calculate the
monthly repayment if the first repayment is to be made one month after the loan is granted.

Mathematics SM0013
Topic 5: Sequences and Series Tutorial
_____________________________________________________________________________________________

18. Without using a calculator, simplify each of the following:

n! (n 1)!
(a)
(b) 5 2
r! (r 1)!

5 2

19. By using the binomial theorem, expand each of the expressions below:

x 2
(b)
2 x

(a) (3 2 x) 4

(c) x 2
x

20. Find the coefficient of the term indicated in square brackets, in the expansion of each of the
expressions below.
(a) (1 3x)

(b) x 2
x

constant

21. Obtain the first four terms in ascending powers of x of the binomial expansion for each of
the following, and state the range of values of x for which each is valid:

(a) 1
4

(b) ( 2 x)

(c) (1 2 x )
2

1
2

22. Use the binomial expansion to evaluate each of the following to the stated degree of
accuracy.
(a) (1.02)5 correct to five decimal places.
(b) (0.97)4 correct to three decimal places.
23. Given that 1 kx 1 10 x px 2 qx 3 ..... for all x R.
(a) find the values of k, p and q.
(b) using these values of k, p and q, find the coefficient of x3 in the expansion of
(1 x)(1 kx) 5 .
5

24. (a)Write down the expansion of (2 x)4 .

(b) Find the first four terms in the expansion of (1 2 x)3 in ascending powers of x. For
what range of values of x is this expansion valid?
2 x 4 16 ax bx 2 ... Find the values of a and b.
(c) Given
1 2 x 3
25. Expand 1 x 2 and 1 2 x
1

Hence find the expansion of

1
2

in ascending powers of x up to and including the term in x 3 .

1 x
in ascending powers of x until the term in x 3 and state
1 2x

Mathematics SM0013
Topic 5: Sequences and Series Tutorial
_____________________________________________________________________________________________

the range of values of x for which the expansion is valid. By taking x

approximate value for

1
, obtain an
10

22 , correct to four decimal places.

ANSWERS
8

1. (a)

2r 1
r 1

2. (a) 14

19

(b)

(6 r )

14

(c)

r 1

(b) 2

17
60

(1)

r 1

r 1

2r 3

r6

(d)

r
r 1

r
2

(c) 8

3. (a) 3 , 14 , 3n 1 , 299
1
4. (a)
(b) 30th
2
5. (a) 20301
(b) 46.75
6. (a) 989100

(b) s , 2 4s , 2 (n 1)s , 2 99s

1
1
(c) 5 ,7,8
2
2
(c) 399
(b) (i) 2(n 1)(n 4)
ii) a 12 , d 4

7. (a) 189

1
(b) 2
2

8. (a)

1
,2
2

19

5 n
(b) S n 4 1 , n 9
4

9. 1089
10. (a) 3,-3
3
11.
, 32
32
1
12. (a)
3
1
13. (b) x
2
(2r 1)3r 1 3
14. (b)
2
15. RM 20000(1.1) , RM 20000(1.1) 2 ,
16. 8 years
17. RM23.30
n 1! nr n 1
18. (a)
r 1!

(b) 6,-6

106
495
11 2
(c)
,
16 3
(b)

15 years

(b) 178

19. (a) 81 216 x 216 x 2 96 x 3 16 x 4

(c) x 8 4 x 5 6 x 2

(c) 1364

(b)

x 5 5x 3
20 40 32

5x

32
8
x x3 x5

4 1

x x4

20. (a) -270

(b) 12

Mathematics SM0013
Topic 5: Sequences and Series Tutorial
_____________________________________________________________________________________________

x x2 x3
,

4 x 4
4 16 64
1 x x2 x3
(b)
,
2 x 2

2 4 8 16
1
1
3x 4 5 x 6
2
(c) 1 x
,
x

2
2
2
2
22. (a) 1.10408
23. (a) k 2, p 40, q 80

(b) 0.885
(b) 40

24. (a) 16 32 x 24 x 2 8x3 x 4

(b) 1 6 x 24 x 2 80 x 3 ,

21. (a) 1

1
1
x
2
2

(c) a 128 , b 600

1
1
1
3
5
3
15
51
1
1
25. 1 x x 2 x 3 , 1 x x 2 x 3 , 1 x x 2 x 3 , x , 4.6878
2
8
16
2
2
2
8
16
2
2